Driving Jobs For the NHS

The NHS offers a wide range of driver jobs. With any of the driving jobs for NHS, your core responsibility will be to make sure that patients, as well as goods and supplies, get to where they need to safely.

Responsibilities

Depending on the specific driving job, the responsibilities may vary. However, the general responsibilities include:

• Checking the vehicle before and after work
• Keeping the vehicle clean inside and out
• Reporting any issues or faults

Entry Requirements

In order to become a driver for the NHS, you must have the correct licence for the vehicle you’re driving. Seeing as the NHS has vehicles of varying sizes (vans, ambulances, etc), it’s important to make sure that the classifications on your licence are correct.

Applicants should have good oral and written communication skills. Any experience in customer service or dealing with the public is also valued as an NHS driver.

Training and Development

For all NHS driving jobs, training is provided. This may include health and safety training, lifting and handling, customer care, and driving training among others. You can also expect to do short, on-the-job courses. As well as that, you can use the opportunity to expand your skills and apply for other qualifications like an ambulance driving licence.

The more experience you gain as an NHS driver, the greater the chance you have of progressing to become a team leader or supervisor. You can also move on to become a driving instructor or into roles such as an emergency care assistant or an ambulance care assistant.

This brings us to the types of driving jobs available at the NHS.

NHS Driving Jobs

Let’s take a look at the range of driving jobs that the NHS has on offer:

Patient Transport Service (PTS) Vehicle

As a PTS vehicle driver, you’ll transport non-emergency patients to and from the hospital for appointments, consultations, and routine check-ups.

Minibus Driver

Minibus drivers collect patients who are going to a day centre. They are also in charge of the return trip.

Transport Van

As a transport van driver, you’ll courier supplies and documents to different NHS sites around the UK. Transport van drivers can expect to do longer journeys.

NHS Blood and Transplant Vehicle

Drivers will need a bus licence to work in this role. It involves driving a mobile blood donation clinic which travels around communities in the UK.

Skills Required

For any of the above jobs as a driver for the NHS, there are certain skills that are required. All NHS drivers must:

• be safety-conscious drivers
• work well unsupervised
• be capable of loading and unloading the vehicle
• have good communication skills
• be able to use sat-nav systems
• have great organisational skills
• be good timekeepers

Finding Driving Jobs For NHS

Fancy finding out more? Check out Refreshing a Career’s live jobs board for up-to-date information on NHS driving job postings in your area. We’ve also got help and advice for anyone who’s looking to change careers, refresh their skills or retrain.